WESTERN Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge believes his side can match the fast-starting Swans in Saturday's Grand Final, but has implored his side to begin making the most of their early opportunities.
While the Swans stunned Adelaide and Geelong with seven-goal opening terms in successive weeks, the Bulldogs' have squandered numerous first-quarter chances to get scoreboard ascendency in finals against West Coast (4.4), Hawthorn (1.5) and Greater Western Sydney (2.3).
Mega-preview: Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs
"We (start games well) too - we just don't kick goals," Beveridge said on Friday.
"We've had real strong starts without hitting the scoreboard (and) unfortunately been a bit wasteful in the last three games."
While the Swans’ barrage of goals has had the opposition on the back foot from the get go, their relentless pressure around the ball has made their scoring easier.
Beveridge said his side was ready for a torrid opening and expected them to match the Swans' intensity.
"We'd be pretty disappointed if we went out in a Grand Final, and weren't ready for that first bounce," the coach said.
"I think both teams will come at each other pretty hard, with both teams wanting to get the upper hand."
The Bulldogs will be the first side since St Kilda in 1997 not to field a player with Grand Final experience, but Beveridge believes that won't be a disadvantage to his relatively inexperienced side.
He says the belief gained from beating every team besides Geelong this season, will hold the Dogs in good stead in the biggest game of the year.
The Bulldogs haven't lost to the Swans since 2014, and have outlasted John Longmire's men by just four points in wins in 2015 and in round 15 this season.
"The players haven't been daunted by the challenge and prospect of taking on genuinely the best teams in the competition," Beveridge said.
"I think the players feel good about the fact they've been able to beat (16) other sides and they know they deserve their place tomorrow.
"We're coming up against a seasoned Sydney team who have been there and done that and there are a number of Sydney players who have won a flag. They know what it takes.
"In a big game like tomorrow, the question is, can you find it if it's tight (at the end)?
"That's our challenge if it's tight."
